Cigar lighter



Feb. 21, 1950 J, SINKO 2,498,116

CGAR LIGHTER Filed June 20, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 2l, 1950` J. SINKO 2,498,116

' CIGAR LIGHTER Filed June 20, 1 94'7 2 Sheets-Sheet -2 contain a fuse I0.

Patented Feb. 21,1950

UNITED STATES )PATENT OFFICE CIGAR LIGHTER John Sinko, Chicago, Ill.

Application June 20, 1947, Serial No. 755,885

This invention relates to cordless cigar lighters of the type used in automobiles, motor-boats, and the like, and more particularly to an improved cigar lighter plug containing a thermostatic switch.

'fThe primary object of the invention is to provide an improved thermostatic switch wherein the thermostatic arms and detents move inwardly when heated to open the circuit.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved body member and friction contact adapted to be held firmly in a tubular socket member.

The invention is illustrated in a preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is an exploded longitudinal vsectional view of the plug withdrawn from the socket member; Fig. 2, a longitudinal sectional view of the plug in the socket with the switch closed; Fig. 3, an elevational view of the front end of the plug, taken as indicated at line 3-3 of Fig. 1'; and Fig. 4, a vertical sectional view, taken as indicated at line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

y In the embodiment illustrated, the socket member has a tubular metal body 5 which affords a ground terminal for the plugmember l' on an insulating washer I and form a current supply terminal for a wire extending through an insulating sheath 8 in a housing 3 which' may The cigar lighter plug which is the subject matter of the present invention has a metal body vII provided at its front end with an inwardly curved flange I2. A dome-shaped metal contact button I3 extends outwardly through a hole in the body Il and has a circular base portion I4 which fits closely within the flange I2 of the body 'memben The supporting portion I5 for the dome is rather heavy, so that considerable pressure is required to depress the dome, and, when the plug is inserted into the socket good electrical contact will be maintained and the plug will be firmly but releasably held in the socket. A guide sleeve I6 is provided with an outwardly extending shoulder I1 which bears against the anged base I4 and is crimped against the end flange I2 of the body by the front end portion I 8 of the sleeve. The rear end portion of the guide sleeve is provided with an inturned flange l! which is provided with a rounded notch 20.

A movable hollow contact body 22 has an outwardly extending shoulder 23 which is adapted to slide in thesleeve member I6 and have its rearward travel limited by the flange I9. The front end ofthe member 22 is also provided with an inwardlyV and rearwardly directed contact ilange 24 which forms an electrical contact for the thermostatic switch. The rear portion of the contact' member 22 is turned inwardly and is gripped against a metal washer 25 by a headed screw 26 which extends through a hollow spacing washer 2'I into an ornamental hand knob 2B. One side of the movable contact member 22 is provided with an outwardly struck detent 2I, which is adapted to engage the notch 20 when the movable contact is thrust deeply into the sleeve member, and thereby prevents rotation between the movable contact and the xed guide sleeve, so that the knob 23 may be tightened on the screw 26 without disassembling the plug. A compression spring 29 bears against the washer 25 and the inner front end of the body member, so as to urge the movable contact rearwardly but alwaysmaintain a good electrical connection between the dome I3 and the contact flange 24.

' The igniter element has a cup-shaped contact 30 which is maintained in electrical connection with the fingers B of the socket member when the' plug is in the socket. A resistance element 3| is secured to the contact 30, and is in the form of a coil with its inner end carried by the head of a slotted stud 32. The igniter element also has a rearwardly extending neck portion 33,

` and makes a tight friction t with the inner portion of the guide sleeve I6. Preferably, a small bead 34 is provided on the neck portion to engage a groove inside of the shoulder I'I, so that considerable force is required to remove the igniter member from the plug. The front end of the member 33 is in the form of a spider and is secured tothe cup member 30 by the crimped rearA endof 4the-stud 32, but is insulated from those parts by insulating washers 35 and 36.

Large openings are provided through the igniter element, so that heat from the element 3| may be transferred readily into the body of the plug. Bimetal contact arms 31 extend rearwardly through said openings and are secured in position by the head of the stud 32. The arms have outwardly extending detents 38 which are forced inwardly by the contact flange 24 when the plug member is telescoped, and hold the plug in collapsed position until the bimetal is heated suiiiciently to cause the detents to swing inward-.

necessary limitations should be understood therefrom, for some modications will be obvious tothose skilled in the art.

I claim:

"i l. A cigar lighter plug comprising: a hollow'- body having a front end-ange; ademe-shaped d button yieldingly urged outwardly through the y wall of the hollow body, the base portion-oi said button being circular and permanently secured to vthe inner frontend-portion of the body; an igniter .member xedly ymounted on the forward end of said body and having. acontact. to engage av second socket contact, said ignitermember having a, rearwardly extendingguide sleeve having a pair of inwardly presented vspacedstops; bimetal arms mounted `onsaid igniter member and extending rearwardly intov the body, said arms having outwardly extending detents; la movable contact member slidably -mounted in said sleeve for movement limited bysaid stops, said movable contact having aninwardlypresented shoulder adapted to be engaged by said detents to. complete an electrical circuit; Athroughthe ignitermember; a spring urging the movable contact u outwardly to break the circuit when released by the. detent; and, a knob on said movable contact for handling the plugI ,l l y 2. A cigar lighter plugcomprising: a hollow metal body having a front end-flange; a domeshaped contact button extending outwardly through a hole inv said metal body and havinga circular flanged base adjacent to the inner side of v said front end-flangemoi the body; a rearwardly extending inner.v guide sleeve having an outwardly extending shoulder against which the flanged base of the contactbuttonv and endflange of thebody are crimped by the` inner end portion oiA said sleeve;` an igniternmember` havinga neck portion engagedby said: sleeve, said member having a resistance element in circuit with` an end contact and with rearwardly extending bimetal arms having outwardly extending detents; a movabley Contact slidably mounted in the sleeve and having an inwardly directed ilange to be engaged by :said detents; a spring urging said movable contact rearwardly; and a hand knob mountedon the rear endof the movable contact. Y n Y A 3. A cigar lighter plug comprising: a hollow metal body ladapted to make electrical contact with a tubular socket contact, said body having an inner rearwardly extendingfixed guide sleeve tact.

-wardly directed iiange to be engaged by said detents; a spring urging said movable contact rearwardly against the stop iiange when in normal. open'v circuit position; and a hand knob mountedon the rear end of the movable con- ;4. ,A .cigar lighter plug comprising: a hollow body provided with a inetal contact which is vieldngly urged outwardly tov engage, e tubular socketcontact; an ignitermember mounted on, the forward end oisaid bodyand having a contact to engage a second `socket contact; a guide sleeve secured to the front of the body a nd ex- 1 tending rearwardlyinto saidbody, the rearpprtion'of said sleeve having an inturned stop flange and its intermediate. portion having a stop abutment, a knob-supporting' base slidably mounted in the rear of said body and having aforwardly extending tubular contactbody provided fat'ts front end .with ,an outwardly A. extending "guide flange to engag slidably the linner portion of said guide sleeve between said stop flange and stop abutment, said guide.. flange also havingan inturned contact flange 'making' on electrical-connection with said metal contact; a compression spring between the guide sleeve and body urging the knob-supporting` baserearwardly; and a thermostat electrically connected to'said igniter` member and adapted to engage theinturned'contact flange and close the circuit when said iiange is pressed forwardly against thepre's'sure of said spring. j

. 5. A devicel as's'pec'ied in Vclaim fl, in vwhich the rear' stopLflangeiron the'guide sleeve has a notch, 'and the movable' 'coiita'ctbody' has 'an voutwardly extendingde'tent near" its rear portion to' engage said notch when pushed into interlocking 'engagement bythe knob. l 1 JOHN." SINKO.4 1

REFERENCES'LCITED The following references are of record in the 4 file of this patent:

UNITED' 4STATES- PATEN'IS Numberv lName' I Date 2,122,962 lSinkov July 5,1938 2,180,069 Sinko NOV.'14,1939` 2,235,750 Plstey L/lar. 18, 1941 2,269,507' Bahr Jan.' 13,1942 

